How Wives Should Treat Husbands by J Paul Getty

1. Women should not be misled by the successful man's outward show of self-sufficiency. It's another - but all too true - axiom that a closer a man gets to the top, the lonelier he becomes. Business associates and aides cannot supply the deeply penetrating human warmth he requires. This can come only from a woman upon whom he focuses attention and love - provided she returns both with the added ingredient of understanding.
2. Patience is indispensable when living with a successful man. There will be times when he forgets that he is at home and issues (or snaps) orders which he is accustomed to having obeyed without question at the office. He usually feels very badly about it afterwards, but may fail to make the called-for apologies or amends because he is preoccupied or because he can't easily drop the manner and mien that are musts for him ten or more hours a day.
3. A woman should not think she has no constructive role merely because she does not attend board meetings. Love, affection, understanding and patience are all vital contributions. So are quiet, constructive, common-sense suggestions. Women have remarkable intuition and are often able to see - or foresee things that elude a man. The key is how the suggestions are made; there should be no hint of nagging.
4. The "bored and jaded businessman's wife" is a cliche. In this day and age, any intelligent woman who is unable to find some activity to occupy her time rewardingly is merely making an excuse for her own laziness. The carping complaint, "I'm dying of boredom," is not likely to sit well with any man whose mind and energies being used to peak capacity.
5. It's a purblind woman who frets and nags because her businessman husband isn't home for dinner on the dot or fails to spend as much time with her as she'd like. Most of those late-at-night business meetings are just that, and the businessmen attend them because they have no choice. They would far rather be home, relaxing, or having dinner with their wives. Of course, every man has his tolerance-limit. If constantly accused and berated, he cannot be blamed for deciding he might as well have the game as the name.
6. Women should realise that any successful businessman is, by definition, a creative person and, like all creative types, is sometimes inclined to be temperamental. In this regard, I might say it has often puzzled me why some women will adoringly accept the outrageous tantrums of some would-be painter, but will create an unholy scene at the slightest show of temperament by a banker or building contractor.